


Auspicious Beginnings

by ArtemisRayne



Series: May Look at a King - A Newsies Felisian AU [2]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Felisian, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cat/Human Hybrids, Felisian, Felisian!Jack, First Meetings, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Meet-Cute, Pre-Relationship, Still Don't Even Know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-06-08 02:06:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15233010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtemisRayne/pseuds/ArtemisRayne
Summary: The first time that Davey Jacobs meets Jack Kelly does not go well...Jack Kelly is far from the first felisian that Davey Jacobs has met. He is, however, the first one to turn Davey's insides to jelly.





	Auspicious Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I still don't know what I'm doing here, but I've now got about a half-dozen things written in this crazy little AU world and I just can't seem to stop myself. This one is mostly just silly fluff and setting up future romance, but there's also hints at some of the backstories and world building. Still like 99% fluff though.

"Large cappuccino, on the house."

Davey Jacobs has not been having a good day. Considering it's also his first day of college, he can't help but feel like this is setting a terrible precedent for his future. The freshman orientation he attended last week did little to prepare him for the actual task of navigating his way around the sprawling NYU campus. Walking into his Journalism 101 class fifteen minutes late was _not_ the first impression he wanted to make.

The rest of his classes didn't go any better, although he was at least on time to those. The list of textbooks he's required to buy is longer than expected, which left him spending nearly all of his saved up cash on them before hauling the small mountain back to his dorm. Then the work-study job he was supposed to pick up wound up being overbooked due to an oversight from a flustered librarian, leaving him with half the hours (and therefore half the pay) he was initially promised.

Despite it being the first day, three of his professors felt compelled to assign homework. The wi-fi in his dorm, shared by the entire building, is sketchy on a good day and nonexistent in the sudden afternoon rainstorm that set upon them. With a resigned sigh, Davey packed up his laptop and carted it to the nearest coffee shop in search of warmth and free internet. It's only after he arrived that he discovered the guy at the bookstore shorted his change, leaving him without enough money to even actually buy a coffee.

Now, to top it all off, he's apparently so pathetic-looking, sitting alone in the corner with the complimentary glass of water, that even the other poor college kids that work here have taken pity on him.

"No, thank you," Davey bites back as pleasantly as he can with his pride rebelling at the philanthropic gesture. Too many years of sympathetic looks, of neighbors lending a hand to the 'poor widow Esther and her sad little twins' have left their marks on him. He can take care of himself, damn it, and he isn't going to be people's charity case _de jour_ just so they can feel good about themselves.

Above him, there's a sarcastic chuckle. "What kinda college kid don't want caffeine?"

Davey knows it's meant as a joke, knows that this guy doesn't mean anything by the generosity, but it's the final straw on his already shit day. "I don't need your _charity_ ," he snaps before he can stop himself, bolting to his feet to square off with the other person. "I'm not some-" The rest of his sentence dies on his tongue when he actually takes a good look at the barista, his brain momentarily stalling.

He's nearly as tall as Davey, with broad shoulders and a squared jaw and rich, dark hair. Bright amber eyes are widened slightly in surprise at Davey's outburst, and the light above the table has reduced his pupils to narrow vertical lines. A smattering of freckles stretches across pronounced cheekbones, forming constellations on the sun-bronzed skin. The sharp triangles of his ears protrude from the curve of his skull, mostly black and nearly the size of Davey's hand, with tiny tufts of white at the tips.

This is far from the first felisian Davey's met, but he's definitely the first one to turn Davey's insides to jelly.

A slow smirk curls the guy's mouth, revealing the points of his slightly elongated canines, and his voice lowers a bit as he leans even further into Davey's personal space. "What's'a matter?" the guy asks teasingly, a soft rumble undercutting his words. "Cat gotcha tongue?"

Davey blinks, derailed by the stupid joke before he rallies. "I appreciate the gesture," he says in clipped tones, "but I don't accept charity."

Grinning, the guy shrugs. "That so, huh?" he replies with a raised eyebrow. "Lucky for you, that coffee is one-hundred-percent selfish. See, there's this thing baristas do that we don't much tell folks about, but I'mma letcha in on the secret: free coffee's the perfect excuse to give a cute guy your number." The barista tips him a wink before turning on his heel and walking back to the counter. His tail, a long, graceful whip of dappled fur, sways behind him in a way that can only be described as smug.

Davey watches him go, bemused, before he finally drops back into his chair. Curious, his gaze falls to the enormous mug of coffee perched beside his open laptop. There's an elaborate (and beautiful) rose drawn in the layer of foam on top, which has thinned and melted slightly while they were talking. Sure enough, the corner of a napkin is tucked beneath the mug, deliberately arranged to display the black print of a string of digits and a name: _Jack._

The temptation of caffeine finally overwhelms his stubbornness, and Davey takes a sip of the coffee. (It'll just go to waste otherwise, right?) It tastes as spectacular as it smells, the perfect balance of milk and espresso with a healthy dash of cinnamon sprinkled on it. Davey practically melts as it warms him from the inside, chasing away the lingering chill of the rainstorm outside, and he curls his fingers around the hot porcelain. As much as he doesn't want to admit it, the coffee is exactly what he needs after the day he's had.

The hairs on the back of Davey's neck prickle, that unsettling sensation of being watched, and he glances across to the counter in time to catch the felisian guy's self-satisfied smile before he turns back to the steamer. Davey ducks his head, a blush spreading through his ears, but he can't fight the smile that steals across his lips when his eyes fall on the printed phone number again. _Jack._ Folding the napkin carefully, he tucks it into his pocket and taps his mousepad to dismiss the screensaver.

Maybe today won't turn out to be a _total_ loss.

It takes Davey several hours to get through all of his reading assignments, and by the time he finishes, his eyes are crossing from exhaustion and boredom. He really hopes that the rest of the semester is more exciting than these introductory chapters or he's going to need something stronger than coffee to survive. As a strange shiver rolls down Davey's back, he bites his lip. That's the other reason it's taken him so long to finish his reading.

From the corner of his eye, Davey glances toward the counter on the pretense of stowing his laptop in his bag. The felisian guy is still on shift, and it'd be impossible to miss the occasional glances he's been tossing Davey's way all afternoon. He catches Davey looking despite his attempts at subtlety, and his lips cant up in a half-teasing smirk that makes Davey's stomach flip.

The phone number is still safely stowed in his jacket, but Davey doesn't feel right actually using it. Not after how he reacted earlier. Davey deliberates for a second before slinging his bag over his shoulder and walking purposefully up to the counter. "Jack?"

The felisian seems genuinely surprised for a moment, and his ears pivot forward attentively as he comes to lean on the counter opposite Davey. "Ya need a refill?" Jack asks, eyebrow peaked.

"No, thanks," Davey says. "I'm actually headed out. I just - I wanted to apologize, for earlier. For sort of yelling at you. It's been one of those days, but I shouldn't have taken it out on you like that, so I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

Jack eyes him thoughtfully, something sparking in those topaz eyes. "Don't worry 'bout it," he says, shrugging. "First day, right? I know how it is. Ya don't even wanna know how my first day went. Disaster. Should pro'lly still be in therapy for it."

The laugh slips out without Davey noticing, something about Jack's easy confidence softening the edges of Davey's anxiety. He's never been great at making friends, his nerves manifesting in a stiff awkwardness that puts people off, but he doesn't feel that as much with Jack. Maybe because Davey's already made a complete ass of himself, so it's not like he has to worry about a good first impression. _Can only go up from here,_ he reasons.

"Well, it still doesn't make it right for me to yell at you," Davey says. "So again, sorry."

"Ain't the first time my flirtin's backfired on me," Jack says with a self-deprecating smirk and dismissive hand gesture. 

"Oh, that's not-" Davey licks his lips, flustered, but he forces himself to finish, "The flirting wasn't - _unwelcome_ , or anything."

Jack's ears swivel, and his head cocks slightly in interest. "Good ta' know," he says with a nod. He pulls his lower lip beneath one sharp tooth in a thoughtful motion before his eyes flick back to Davey's face. "But ya know, if you really feel that bad, could always make it up to me. Got plans Friday?"

Shocked, Davey blinks. "No, why?"

"'Cause I don't like havin' dinner alone," Jack says, smirking. "Wanna join me?"

"I - why? I mean, why would you want to have dinner with _me_?" Davey says, struggling to properly explain his confusion. "I'm just some awkward freshman that yelled at you for nothing."

Jack actually seems to consider the question, one ear flitting as he surveys Davey. "I dunno, 'cause you made me curious," he says, and his smile is mischievous. "And ya know what they say 'bout curiosity and cats."

Davey snorts. "Do you always do that? The cat jokes?" he asks, intrigued despite himself. "Just, most of the felisians I've met don't like the comparisons."

"Maybe I ain't like most you've met," Jack counters playfully. "'Sides, way I see it, folks are gonna make the comparisons anyway. Gives me a leg up when I beat 'em to it." Davey can sense more to it, some journalistic instinct telling him that there's so much more to the story. For all that Jack says he's curious, Davey finds he's just as interested to know more about this strange boy from the coffee shop.

"Okay."

"Okay?" Jack echoes, brow furrowing.

"Dinner," Davey elaborates. "Friday. You know, if the offer's still there."

Jack grins, something equal parts excited and triumphant. "I get off work at six," he says. "Meet me here?" Heart thumping almost painfully in his chest, Davey nods.

"Hey, Jack, you plannin' on actually _workin_ ' any time tonight?" the cashier with the blonde curls asks sarcastically.

Jack rolls his eyes, directing a raised middle finger over his shoulder at the other man. "I should let you get back to work," Davey says, struggling to hide his chuckle at the obvious annoyance on the felisian's face. "And I still gotta finish unpacking my dorm and everything. But I'll, uh, see you Friday?"

And the smile comes back, that cock-eyed smirk that turns Davey's brain to mush. "It's a date." They both straighten up - Davey didn't even realize he's been gradually leaning further into the counter as they talked, the space between them shrinking - and Davey turns for the door. He only makes it three steps before- "Oh, wait."

Davey pivots, determinedly keeping his expression neutral even as his stomach drops. He should've known it was too good to be true. Is this where Jack changes his mind? "What's wrong?"

"Nothing wrong, just-" Jack laughs and rubs the back of his neck in a move that's endearingly self-conscious, "forgot to ask, what's your name?"

Eyes wide, Davey opens his mouth in surprise. Did they really-? He combs back over the conversation in his head and laughs. "Davey," he responds through a chuckle. "Davey Jacobs."

"Jack Kelly," the felisian counters, grin bright and playful. "Nice ta' meetcha, Davey." With that, Jack turns and gets back to work. Davey hitches his bag higher on his shoulder and heads for the door. As he steps out into the light drizzle, he ducks his head and starts jogging across campus with a smile on his face.

So the day might not have gotten off to the best of starts, but it's turned around. And Davey has to think if _this_ is the precedent that the rest of his college career is going to be built on, well, it's a most auspicious beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts and suggestions for anything else you'd like to see in this universe are always welcome.


End file.
